Kite Flying Coloring Pages

Riding the wind, up into the sky

Kite Flying is a fun game where you fly a kite made of paper and bamboo sticks in the sky using a string.
Winter has many windy days, so New Year is the perfect time for Kite Flying.
If you catch the wind by pulling and loosening the string, your kite will climb higher and higher into the sky.
Seeing kites fly all across the big sky at wide riverbeds or parks is a classic New Year view!

Fly high to make your wish come true

Because kites fly so high, people used to believe they were lucky items that could carry your wishes up to heaven.
In some areas, when a boy is born, people fly a kite to wish for him to grow up strong and healthy.
In Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, the big Hamamatsu Festival takes place every May to celebrate the birth of children by flying giant kites!

The history of kites

People say that kites came to Japan long ago from China.
In the Edo period, they became super popular among town kids.
A story says that in the Kansai area, people called them "squid flyers" because they looked like squids. But in Edo, people started calling them "octopus" (tako) instead!
Also, the Japanese character for kite (凧) was actually made right here in Japan.

3 Coloring pages

There are 3 coloring pages.
The 1st coloring page shows a Yakko-dako kite shaped like a person spreading both arms wide.
The 2nd coloring page shows children enjoying Kite Flying on a winter riverbed.
The 3rd coloring page is a detailed coloring page with kites painted with warrior pictures and long connected kites filling the sky.
Try coloring New Year games together with our New Year and Fukuwarai coloring pages, too!

Let's make a kite!

You can make a kite at home, too!
Just add bamboo sticks or straws to a plastic bag or paper to make the frame, tie a string, and your easy kite is ready.
If you add a long tail, your kite will fly smoothly without spinning around.
It feels so great to watch a kite with your own drawing fly in the sky!
We also recommend coloring the Yakko-dako in this coloring page, pasting it on cardboard, cutting it out, and using it as a decoration.
If you write your name on your finished kite, everyone will know it is yours right away.
Kites can break easily on days when the wind is too strong, so try flying them on days with just the right breeze!

Yakko Kite with Bold Colors

For the first Yakko kite, use bright, bold colors! Try red or blue for the kimono, and yellow for the belt.
Here is a trick: use different colors for parts that touch so your kite stands out high in the sky.
For the tail, using two colors like red and white, or yellow and green, looks super cute!

The Winter Sky and Riverbank

For the second coloring page, color the sky with a soft light light blue, and leave the clouds white.
Color the river blue. For the grass, use ocher or light brown to make it look just like a cozy winter riverbank.
Bright colors for the children's scarves and jackets will make them look happy and lively!

Samurai Kites with Strong Colors

For the third kite with the samurai warrior, try skin color for the face, red or navy blue for the armor, and gold for the helmet.
Add red or blue makeup lines around the eyes and eyebrows to make him look really powerful!
If you color each kite in the long kite train a different color, it will look just like a rainbow in the sky!

Colors for Many Kites

Color the cicada kite green and brown, the crane kite white and red, and the treasure ship kite gold and red.
Picking the best colors for each picture helps everyone see what kind of kite it is!
For Mount Fuji far away, leave the top white and color the bottom light blue or light purple. That makes it look just like Mount Fuji on a winter morning.
If you use soft, light colors for the rice fields and people below, the kites in the sky will really pop out!
Trace the strings lightly with a light gray pencil to make them look like they stretch way up into the sky.

The "Yakko" in the Yakko Kite

Yakko were people in the Edo period who worked for samurai households and walked at the front of processions.
The shape of a yakko spreading both arms wide turned straight into a kite.
Because their arms are open wide, they catch a lot of wind and fly really high!

Kite Flying Rules

When you go Kite Flying, choose a wide-open space with no power lines.
If your kite gets stuck on a power line, it is very dangerous, so do not try to get it yourself. Tell an adult right away.
Make sure not to fly your kite near roads or train tracks, either.

Kites Around the World

Kite Flying is enjoyed in many countries all over the world!
In India, Thailand, and China, there are Kite Flying festivals where tons of kites fill up the sky.
The shapes and patterns of the kites are different depending on the country, so it is fun to compare them!

How Kites Fly

When a kite catches the wind, the wind hits its tilted surface and creates a force that pushes it up.
This is similar to how airplanes fly.
When the wind is weak, running and pulling the string helps the kite catch the wind so it can fly more easily!